Great place for animal lovers - Star

Sept 20, 2009 By GRACE CHEN
sundaymetro@thestar.com.my
Photos by SAIFUL BAHRI

Be prepared for some scandalous animal stories when you visit the petting zoo at the Lost World of Tambun in Perak.



AT the last count, the animal population at the petting zoo of the Lost World of Tambun numbered 4,000, and all are descendants of those at its sister park at Sunway in Petaling Jaya. The only “newbies” are 40 tortoises whose pond is just next to a 10m-high waterfall fed by fresh river water running from the limestone hills of Kinta Valley.


View Larger Map

According to Calvin Ho, the general manager, these tortoises were rescued from a temple in Penang after it was found that they were living in terrible conditions. To compound the problem, the temple authorities found out that poachers were stealing the land reptiles and selling them to restaurants.

Handle with care: Petting Zoo keeper Nur Azlan Mohd Hussin, 23, ensures that these colourful birds are carefully handled by visitors.

Concerned that these revered crepusculars were coming to such a bad end, the temple authorities called Ho for help.

There are plenty of such anecdotes at the 7,432 sq metre “wildlife resort”.

The visitor will get to meet a cobra which had to be spoon-fed after it hurt its throat, no thanks to rough handling from villagers who had found it lurking in a chicken coop.

There is also a marmoset named Ron who has since become Ho’s best friend and confidante.

“There are no dark secrets but he knows quite a lot about what’s going on in my head,” quips the 44-year-old father of two who often starts his day by sitting among these cute furry mammals.

Then there are the raccoons who reside near the zoo’s entrance. If the animals had a gossip tabloid, the best fodder for it would come from a certain male raccoon here that has acquired quite a reputation for being a highly amorous “playboy”.

“The fellow mates no less than a couple of times within an hour,” affirms Ho.

What makes for the contentment and wellbeing of the animals in the Lost World of Tambun is the care they are being given.

Close interaction: Visitors can have direct contact with the animals.

According to Ho, the two crucial aspects lie in the conditioning and enrichment programmes devised by the curator and the keepers.

“The animals in our care are not just fed and expected to eat and sleep. To keep them active and stimulated, the keepers place their food between rocks or on branches. The animals will have to locate the grub with their senses,” says Ho.

The petting zoo, insists this Penang native, is about simulating the natural habitats of the animals to encourage them to hunt and forage for food. This keeps them alert and ensures their good psychological and emotional well being.

“The idea is to allow them to live in a habitat that resembles conditions in the wild,” says Ho.

In simulating the natural habitats of the animals, Ho reveals that first of all, no trees were chopped down during the building of the petting zoo which took four months to complete.

No effort was spared to preserve the original flora and fauna of the area that’s set within the majestic limestone hills of Ipoh. Even the water for the streams and waterfall is channelled from a river, which means chlorine-free drinking water for the animals. Extra vegetation such as creepers and trees were planted to treat soil erosion.

Ho attributes the tame disposition of the animals to the constant positive conditioning from the keepers. He eschews the word “train” as he feels that it carries negative connotations like the use of cruel methods.

“When it comes to animals, the interaction has to be like a relationship, like making friends. Just like people, animals, even among the same species, have different personalities. Some are feisty, others adapt more easily.

“When it comes to conditioning a bird to feed from a visitor’s hand, for example, this is the result of the interaction that has taken place between the animal and the keeper. It shows the deep relationship and understanding that has deve­loped between the two,” says Ho.

Exposing the animals to people, even those which have been previously mistreated by humans, will have drawbacks, but Ho feels such situations can be controlled.

“There are some people who derive plea­sure from seeing animals suffer. It is disgusting to watch and I feel that awareness should be raised through education. However, when we took on the running of the petting zoo, we also made sure that the animals’ keepers are there to supervise the interaction between visitor and the animal,” Ho says.

So, besides caring for the animals, the keepers also need to have a basic understanding of human behaviour.

“Sometimes, visitors are goaded by their friends or are pressured to drape a snake around their neck when they are just not ready for that sort of action. In this case, the keepers will size up the visitor to see how they can best experience the human-animal interaction minus the impositions,” says Ho.

So, what can the visitor expect to experience at this petting zoo, aside from getting to stroke the animals? Well, there is the serpentarium, a glass tunnel which allows the visitor a 360° view of the snakes and reptiles in the zoo’s collection. This will be as close as one can get to the pythons and monitor lizards clinging to the glass on top, below, by the sides and at one’s feet.

Then there is the boardwalk which winds across the Rock Canopy like a rainforest trail. This set-up brings a visitor to a natural paradise where hornbills, macaques, porcupines, prairie dogs and African goats are left to roam free. At the end of this trail is a platform which offers a breathtaking scenery of the wetlands area where Rajah Brooke butterflies can be seen fluttering among wild boars, squirrels, kingfishers and pangolins.

High on the adorable meter is the warrens where cute bunnies with their floppy ears can be seen hopping around.

Children can also do “longkang fishing”, a term coined by Ho, here.

“There are baby carp swimming in a small stream and children can scoop the little fish into their nets,” says Ho.

However, Ho reiterates that there is a clear line drawn on using animals for entertainment.

“The petting zoo is geared towards education, where children can learn about animals and the role they play in the ecosystem. This is crucial because if one link is broken, there will be an imbalance and this will have a negative effect on us in the end,” he says.

While one may argue that books, audio and visual means are able to perform the task adequately, Ho firmly believes that there is no greater teacher than real-life experience. As to whether the animals are happy, Ho gamely points out that their ability to mate and breed is a sure sign that all is well.

This can be seen in the aviary where eggs and new hatchlings can be found in the nests.

■ The Lost World of Tambun is open from 11am to 6pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends. It is closed on Tuesdays. For enquiries call 05- 5428888 or visit its website at www.sunway.com.my.

Savoury Raya favourite RELISHING RAMADAN - Star

Sept 17, 2009 By CHARLES FERNANDEZ

Black pepper beef can be served as an appetiser as well as a main dish.

Popular dish: Black Pepper Beef is a favourite during Ramadan.

USUALLY served with hot steamed rice, Black Pepper Beef (Daging Lada Hitam) is a favourite during Ramadan and Hari Raya.

Some will attest that it is best eaten with nasi impit or plain white bread.

I am told that the dish is not difficult to prepare and some families would serve it with a choice of vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli, on the side for a complete balanced dish.

I had my first taste of this delightful treat courtesy of a colleague.

The dish can also be served on its own as an appetiser ahead of the main course – it will whet the appetite but is light enough not to spoil the rest of one’s meal.

BLACK PEPPER BEEF

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, ground
2 pips garlic, ground
1cm piece of ginger, ground
1 bowl thinly sliced beef (1cm x 2cm)
1 tablespoon flour, mixed with ½ cup water
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons black soy sauce
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
½ bowl scallions, cut into 2cm lengths
1 tomato, cut into 5-6 wedges
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 red chilli, sliced lengthwise

Method

Heat oil in a pan and saute the ground shallots, garlic and ginger until fragrant.

Add the beef and stir-fry until the meat is slightly dry.

Add the flour-and-water mixture and stir. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and black pepper and simmer until meat is cooked through.

Just before dishing up, add the scallions, tomato, onion and chilli and stir quickly.

Dish up and serve while the scallion is still crunchy.

Duo growing grapes in Sendayan - Star

Sept 17, 2009 By C.S.NATHAN

GRAPES here? That can’t be possible. That’s the response I got after telling friends of my visit to the Sendayan Fruit Valley — a vineyard and orchard located on a 20ha site, practically in my own backyard.

But for software engineer turned grape grower Azrul Nazim Abd Aziz, it was the question of “Why not?,” that encouraged him to try his hand at cultivating grapes here.

“In Thailand, they have been growing grapes for decades so why not here? After all, we share the same climate.

Good crop: Azrul (right) and Baumann showing off the fruits of their labour.

“No doubt we may not be able to cultivate a large variety but we can still churn out good-quality grapes for local consumption,” he said.

Azrul, the managing director of A-WINN Global Market Services said he approached grape growers in Thailand for their expertise in the field before setting up his first vineyard.

“We started off a few years back on a plot of land in Selangor. With Thai know-how, we experimented with different varieties of grape until we had a winning formula for sweet table grapes.

“Once we were confident of a good product, we started scouting for land and that is when we decided to set up in Sendayan,” he said.

The vineyard is just a 20-minute drive from Seremban’s town centre (about 80km south of Kuala Lumpur), located on land leased from the state government.

Set up in 2007 and aiming to produce grapes on a commercial scale, Sendayan Fruit Valley is neither the first nor the only vineyard in the country but Azrul believes the high investment cost may be a deterrent for many other hopeful grape-growers.

“There are a couple of small-scale vineyards here but not many people are willing to take a chance on cultivating grapes commercially. Costs are high and we ourselves have put in about RM6mil into the business.

“The bulk of the costs were chanelled into research and development and we spend about RM10,000 monthly on labour, maintenance and equipment,” he said.

However, the 35-year-old is pleased with his venture and has no regrets despite the many challenges he faced in the beginning.

“It took some time to get it right but that first harvest makes it all worth it. It’s a very satisfying labour of love.

Currently, the vineyard is home to 6,000 grapevines with four varieties namely the black opal, shiraz and black pearl — all dark grapes and the white malaga, a green variety.

For a start, the grapes are harvested twice a year and 1,000 vines yield about three tonnes (3,000kg) of grapes which works out to an average of 30 tonnes (30,000kg) per year.

Yield is also dependent on the variety of grape as the size of the fruit differs.

At present, less than half of the land is used for grapes and Azrul is sure production will leapfrog once more vines are put in.

“By the middle of next year, we hope to have a continuous supply of grapes all year-round. Grapes are grown in a cycle and it takes about a year from seedling to fruit.

“We are also growing mangoes, lychee, dragonfruit, guava, bidara (Chinese apple) and longan here among others so there’ll be quite a harvest of fruit,” he said.

Azrul is assisted by his Swiss-Thai project director Arthur Baumann @ Adil Mustafa Abdullah, 49, who is just as passionate about growing grapes as he is.

In fact, Baumann had been growing grapes in Thailand for over a decade before he was roped in to help.

“I jumped at the chance as my wife is Malaysian and had wanted to come back for a long time,” he said.

Grapes need tender loving care to grow well and for that Azrul has employed four local women, whose job it is to check on the vines daily.

There are no machines involved as the grapes have to be picked entirely by hand.

Another five people including two Thais work on the vineyard full-time while Azrul and Baumann make weekly trips to check on its progress.

For a taste of these locally-produced grapes, consumers have to visit the vineyard as they are not in the market just yet.

“Our grapes are much cheaper than the imported varieties plus it is good for you. Pesticides are kept to the minimum and we use our own organic fertiliser,” said Baumann.

Bonsai grapes and grape seedlings — starter kits for aspiring home grape-growers are also for sale at the vineyard.

Although the vineyard does not resemble its Napa or Loire valley counterparts in the Napa or Loire just yet, it is still a nice place to visit for a change of scenery and a taste of made-in-Malaysia grapes.

Both Azrul and Baumann hope that the Sendayan Fruit Valley will become an agro-tourism site where visitors can come and pick their own fruit and have picnics among the vines.

“Now, all we have to do is wait for the trees to mature and to provide a cosy spot for picnickers and the like. That’s what this is really - a sort of orchard, only with grapes instead of durian.

“You’ll not find a combination like this anywhere else,” said Azrul.

As for me, a visit to the vineyard with my friends are on the cards — nothing else will wipe the disbelief off their faces than a taste of one of those sweet crunchy Sendayan Fruit Valley grapes.

To buy grapes from the vineyard, contact 016-228 8819 (Arthur Baumann) or 012-376 4751 (Farah).

Original flavour beats the rest - Star

Aug 17, 2009

Story By HELEN ONG
Photos By K.E. OOI

A recent food tasting session saw the old-fashioned Tau Sar Pneah winning hands down over the newer flavours.

IT’S another food item that is synonymous with Penang, and something that no visitor to the island will leave without buying either to enjoy as a light snack or to take back as a gift for relatives.

After all, Tau Sar Pneah, otherwise known as Dragon Balls or Tambun Biscuits, is one of the few things you can transport far without compromising on taste or quality.

Stocking up: Shopowner Mrs Ng putting the biscuits into plastic packaging at Tong Hoe Seng in Chowrasta market at Jalan Penang.

The little rounds of light flaky pastry filled with a sweet or savoury paste made of mashed green beans (tau sar) and a rich, underlying aroma of fried shallots are delicious straight out of the oven, though few would be so fortunate as to enjoy them this way.

However, if you freeze them as soon as you get them (I’ve frozen mine before), then defrost and put them in the oven for a brief spell, they will come out almost as crispy and tasty.

When you want a whiff of Penang, what better way than to tuck into one with a nice hot cup of our white coffee?

Hard at work: Sheng Hiang staff putting together the biscuits.

There are several well-known brands available but what was surprising even to me was the number of less well-known ones. Most also manufacture or retail other well-known Penang products like Beh Teh Saw, Hiao Peah, Dodol, nutmeg and the like.

And the flavours! Who would have thought the humble dragon ball would have evolved to include so many different tastes: there were pandan, coffee, orange, dried shrimp and even durian! And this was just the tip of the iceberg. So during one of my sojourns to Kuala Lumpur, I brought seven makes of the biscuits and got a panel together to try them out.

The panel consisted of Sunday Metro senior writer Faridah Begum, contributor Grace Chen, Star Two chief reporter Majorie Chiew and yours truly.

Popular snack: Ghee Hiang staff packing Tau Sar Pneah into boxes.

Tean Ean: Located in a huge mansion at the corner of Gurney Drive, this company was started about 14 years ago. 90, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 Penang. Tel: 04-229 8130

Soon Seng: Available from Chowrasta Market.

Sheng Hiang: Also established over a decade ago, now with several branches in Penang. They are famous for their “fruit” flavours although apparently their “sambal udang” is the most popular. 19, Kimberley Street, 10100 George Town, Penang. Tel: 04-261 9928

Loong Nam: Another established company which used to be in Penang Road and has now relocated to Hutton Lane. 213, Hutton Lane. 10050 Penang. Tel: 04-226 9663

TB Tambun: Available from Chowrasta Market.

Him Heang: Established in 1948, very popular with locals and visitors alike, as reflected by the number of cars which jam up Burmah Road. 162A, Jln Burma, 10050 Pulau Pinang, Tel: 04-228 6130

Ghee Hiang: One of the best known, it was established in 1856; probably the patriarch and oldest biscuit company in Penang. The old shop in Beach Street is still there, but they have introduced several outlets in town for easy access.
The fruit-flavoured Tau Sar Pneah that comes in corn, pineapple, orange and apple.
How the various Tau Sar Pneah stack up

TEAN EAN

Faridah: Moist and quite authentic, although a bit sweet for me.
Grace: Nice combination of sweet and savoury flavours. Lovely melt-in-your-mouth feeling.
Majorie: No crispy shallots but otherwise above average.
Helen: Sweet but tasty.

SOON SENG

Faridah: Good onion flavour, great taste.
Grace: Strong hint of onions and margarine which make the pastry a winner!
Majorie: Not too dry, just nice.
Helen: Liked the thin layer of pastry but a tad too much margarine.

SHENG HIANG (different flavours)

Faridah:
Pineapple: It’s got bits of pineapple in it. Orange: Nice fragrance but not my cup of tea.
Apple: Hmmm.
Sweetcorn: Bland.

Grace:
Pineapple: Would have preferred a pineapple tart.
Orange: Love the smell and taste. Goes well with the tau sar.
Apple: Crunchy apple bits make it interesting but taste is hard to trace.
Sweetcorn: Hard to suss out the corn taste.

Majorie:
Pineapple: Reminds me of pineapple tart filling. Not bad.
Orange: OK.
Apple: Apple bits a wee bit too hard. Reminds me of nutmeg bits.
Sweetcorn: Not too keen on this.

Helen: As a traditionalist, I found I preferred the good, oldfashioned flavour with no enhancements!

LOONG NAM

Faridah: Dry and no fragrance.
Grace : Like the onion smell.
Majorie: A bit dry, and not so sweet so less than satisfactory.
Helen: A bit bland.

TB TAMBUN BISCUITS

Faridah: Great taste, although margarine flavour a bit overpowering.
Grace: Liked the sweet/savoury sensation and onion bits.
Majorie: Nice aroma of crispy shallots and not too dry.
Helen: A strong taste of margarine.

HIM HEANG

Faridah: Lots of onions and very fragrant.
Grace: Beautiful nutty taste of beans. Colour of deep-fried onions renders the filling a golden brown colour which makes it very appetising.
Majorie: Nice flaky skin.
Helen: A good traditional flavour with equal measures of sweet and savoury.

GHEE HIANG

Faridah: Abstained as it is not pork-free.
Grace: Very delicately flavoured with fragrant hints of lard.
Majorie: Unmistakeably “tambun”!
Helen: Again, tasty and traditional.

TEAN EAN

Coffee
Faridah: A bit bland.
Grace: Will go very well with a cup of coffee!
Majorie: Hint of coffee.
Helen: Strong coffee taste.

Pandan
Faridah: Surprisingly good, moist and fresh tasting.
Grace: Lovely combination of flavours.
Majorie: The pandan in the skin brings out the flavour.
Helen: Quite “pandany” but pastry is a bit thick.

Conclusion:
Generally, the “other” flavours proved less popular. It came as no surprise why the traditional ones have remained firm favourites for all these years.

Simple dim sum-styled lunch for those on the go - Star

Aug 7, 2009 By CHRISTINA LOW

Lunch hour can be extremely precious for some, especially when you have to run between meetings while trying to get a decent meal.

At Traders Hotel, the situation was not getting better, with staff members finding it difficult to cope with the long list of orders from patrons, according to sous chef Irwin Chan Kwan Wing.

Wholesome meal: Grilled Lamb served with Roasted Potatoes.

“It is difficult when everyone comes in at the same time and order different food but want it served quickly,” said Chan.

The 29-year-old, who had been working at the hotel since it opened three years ago, said he came up with a “dim sum styled” lunch for his patrons minus the hot steaming trays.

The concept is simple, Chan cooks according to a list of dishes on the menu from appetizers to mains while the waiters take turns to bring it to guests at their table.

“It is simple, they just pick and the waiters will bring it to their table, something like dim sum where you get to choose what you like when the carts are brought around,” said Chan who came up with the idea for the Unlimited Upstairs Lunch Menu.

Enticing: Spinosini Pasta with Beef Meat Balls.

Patrons can start with appetizers like the Deep Fried Wild Mushroom Risotto Ball, Mini Caesar Salad with Roasted Chicken or the Pan Sear Scallop with Orange Reduction before moving on to a warm soup of Pumpkin with Smoke Salmon.

Once you have had enough and think you are ready for the mains, just call on the waiters and they will bring you their popular grilled specialities such as the Grilled Baby Chicken with Chimichuri Rub, Grilled Australian Black Angus Beef Sirloin with Roasted Zucchini and Eggplant and the Rock Salt Baked Live Sea Bass with Braised Vegetable, which are fixed items on the menu.

To make things interesting, Chan also throws in some surprises through the main courses every day based on what his mind and creativity dictate for the day.

During the review, we had the chance to taste three extras for the day, which was the Grilled Lamb with Roasted Vegetables, Braised Live Mussels and the Spinosini Pasta with Beef Meat Balls.

Mini delights: (from left) Chocolate Sacher Fudge Cake, Peach Saffron Tart, Pear Jalousie and Caramelized Banana Coconut Tart.

However, if you have a sudden urge for another round of Risotto Ball in the starters list, feel free to do so and do not worry about your friends, who are probably on their way to desserts.

Chan said with the new style, patrons can also try their new dishes instead of just ordering one for lunch.

“You don’t have to think too much about what to have for lunch with our quick and easy concept,” said Chan.

Italian flavour: Deep Fried Wild Mushroom Risotto Ball.

He added that the menu had been well received by the regulars at the hotel as it was fast and the fact that not much waiting was required.

To end the lunch on a sweet note, guests can take a pick from Chocolate Sacher Fudge Cake, Caramelised Banana Coconut Tart, Peach Saffron Tart or Pear Jalousie to go with Tea or Coffee.

The Unlimited Upstairs Lunch Menu is available from noon to 2.30pm daily. It is priced at RM50++ (with free flow of soft drinks) or RM60++(with a glass of wine).

GOBO UPSTAIRS LOUNGE and GRILL Traders Hotel KL, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03- 2332 9910).

Quick lunch for RM7 - Star

Aug 7, 2009 By CHRISTINA LOW

EVERYONE is looking for cheaper meals these days. Sets that offer complete meals with drinks and desserts are often the top choice.

Apart from it being quick and affordable, it also saves you the trouble of pondering over a long lunch list that could take up most of your lunch time.

Neighbourhood restaurant: The Magic Wok had been around for the past nine years.

Joining the bandwagon of restaurants that offer quick lunch sets, Magic Wok Restaurant in Damansara Jaya had introduced some interesting lunch sets that are faster and cheaper.

“People want their food fast but not many are fond of crowded coffee shops where finding a proper parking spot during lunch time can be a trying affair,” said Magic Wok director Alicia Foong.

However, visiting an air-conditioned restaurant may be too expensive and many may not be able to afford it daily.

That was when Foong decided to offer “Value Quick Lunch” deals at just RM7.

Filling meal: Every 14th of the month, the restaurant offers its takeaway promotion of Golden Roast Stuffed Chicken.

The sets are simple, customers can choose from Roast Chicken, Ginger Duck, HK Roast Pork, Braised Beef, Mushromm Chicken, Roast Duck, Old Style Char Siew, Shredded Chicken, Curry Chicken, Braised Lamb or Pork Ribs to go with either Rice or Fresh Egg Noodle.

Each set also comes with a drink of the day (Barley or Soyabean), fresh fruits and free flow of Chinese tea.

If you still have the time or space after a hearty lunch, then you can try their host of side dishes like Fish cake Tofu, Wantan Soup, Fried Wantan, Mushroom Chicken Claws, Lou Sui Pork Mix , Fried Shui Gao and Shui Gao Soup priced at just RM6 per serving.

Foong said she was surprised that the lunch deal, which was introduced in March had been a hit with their customers considering it was the first time the restaurant offered noodles.

“Before this, we never thought of selling noodles as we were comfortable selling typical Chinese dishes to go with the plain white rice.

“By serving noodles, our customers get the meal faster and they can take time trying our other side dishes, too,” said Foong who started the restaurant nine years ago.

Tasty creation: The Claypot Tilapia with White Pepper and Mixed Vegetables.

The lunch deal was not only aimed at customers working nearby but also families on weekends.

It is available from Mondays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 2.30pm while on Sundays and public holidays it is from 10am to 3pm.

Foong also highlighting their ongoing take-away promotion.

Every 14th of the month, customers can take home a Golden Roast Stuffed Chicken for only RM30 while on the 28th of every month they can buy the Herbal Roast Duck for RM33 by placing the order a day in advance.

“We started selling stuffed chicken for Christmas two years ago as a substitute to turkey and the promotion was well received.

“However, we did not want to make it a permanent item on the menu, hence we came up with this monthly promotion,” said Foong.

During the review, we also tried the restaurant’s popular favourites like the Claypot Tilapia with White Pepper, Yuen Tai (Braised Pork Trotter), BBQ Tri Combination which consists of Roast Pork (Siew Yuk), Barbecue Pork (Char Siew) and Roast Duck and the Twin Pork Ribs.

·THE MAGIC WOK RESTAURANT 32, Jalan SS22/25 Damansara Jaya, 47400, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. (Tel:03-7729 2288 / 012 393 6928) Business Hours: (Lunch) 12noon - 3pm (Dinner) 6pm -10.30pm.

Tasty Malaccan Portuguese cuisine just like mum’s cooking - Star

Jul 25, 2009

WITH a shortage of places to enjoy Country & Western music in the early 90’s, Hedley Westerhout took matters into his own hands and opened his own place.

Thirteen years later, Country Barn has evolved from a Country & Western Pub to a restaurant that is a staple part of the community.

Off the main road in USJ 11 and minutes away from the bustling Taipan area, Country Barn is a retreat by day and a showcase of talented bands after dark. A different band plays every night, and at one point for a Charity Music Fest, they all played one after another for 24 hours straight.

Mouth-watering: Some of the dishes at the restaurant.

“People have suggested that we change our name to Charity Barn,” Westerhout said.

“There is a shortage of decent family pubs, and that’s what we are. We used to be called the Subang Jaya old Folk Home.”

Patrons have access to Wi-fi in a cozy atmosphere with unconventional deco, and most importantly, the authentic Malaccan Portuguese menu at their fingertips.

Terry (Red FM Drive) and I sit down at the most sought after table.

“It’s at an equal distance from the dancefloor, the bar, the pool table, and the restrooms,” Westerhout said.

Margeret De Silva (or Aunty Margaret as she is fondly known), assumed the role of chef here just over a year ago.

“Is it hard to cook for so many people? I asked her.

“It’s what I would do every day at home!” she answers candidly. “For many more family members!” chirped in Terry helpfully.

Being both half Eurasian, Terry and I were no strangers to the cuisine and family atmosphere that exudes from Country Barn’s four walls.

“This is just like my mum used to make, God rest her soul,” Terry said as he tucked into the Cencaru Sumbat, crispy, deep-fried Cencaru fish stuffed with sambal.

I found myself mimicking his satisfied noises as I savoured the Chicken Pong-teh, a Malaccan Portuguese stew. Slightly sweet and salty and utterly scrumptious.

One of my favourites, the Brinjal Soy Limang, did not disappoint — Pan Fried Aubergines saturated in dark soya sauce, chili, onions and shrimp paste. This was followed closely by the addictive Bendi Pas’agu, which are stir fried ladies fingers smothered in a belachan chili sauce.

The most popular dish on the menu is the Debal Curry.

There are many versions of this curry. You can call it Devil, Devel, Debil or Debal. The basic “rempah” is the same, it’s the hands that cook it that gives it variety.

The Debal Curry at Country Barn is a blend of chilli, onion, lemongrass, galangal and mustard seeds, cooked till fragrant and is as authentic as it gets.

Terry and I yelped with excitement as we were presented with a plate of Pang Susi.

I haven’t had these in years!

Biting into the soft, fluffy sweet bun to reveal a savoury mince filling, I was transported to my childhood days at my grandmother’s place in Malacca.

Because making of these delicious buns are labour intensive, they are available by special order only. Don’t miss out on the delightful pineapple tarts and make sure you have a cup of sweet tea to wash it down.

From Charity Drives to home cooked Malacca Portuguese cuisine, this is a place with a story to tell, and a place where everyone really knows your name. If they don’t, it’s only because you haven’t been there. Yet….

Tune in to the Big Red Food Review with Aly for your chance to win RM50 vouchers to Country Barn. 20 x vouchers up for grabs!

Country Barn Pub & Restaurant (NON-HALAL). 3, USJ 11/3,Subang Jaya Tel: 03-5637-6818 Food served from 11.30am till 10pm

Red FM’’s Fourplay with Acer – Win your share of RM100,000! Log on to www.red.fm for more details.

Klang Valley 104.9, Georgetown & Seberang Prai 107.6, Taiping 98.2, Tapah 104.9,Ipoh 106.4, Johor Bahru 92.8, Batu Pahat & Malacca 98.9,Negeri Sembilan 106, Kuantan & Pahang 91.6, Kedah & Perlis 98.1